Passengers unhurt as 2 motorboats crash

MANILA – Two motor boats collided in Boracay. None of their 27 passengers were hurt, the Philippine Coast Guard said.

The incident occurred near Cagban jetty port in Barangay Manoc-manoc around 8:20 p.m. on Tuesday yet, said spokesperson Armand Balilo.

Boracay Express 3 left the port with 69 passengers and 12 crew members on board when it crashed against another motor bancaPem-Pem, which had 27 passengers and three crew members onboard, the Coast Guard Boracay station reported.

“While undocking, Boracay Express tried to avoid the anchor line of LCT Cruiser 22 but did not notice and accidentally hit Pem-Pem, [damaging] the motorboat’s starboard side of the bow section,” Balilo said.

Despite the incident, Boracay Express 3 decided to continue its trip to Caticlan jetty port, while Pem-Pem managed to dock and safely unload its passengers at the Cagban port.

No one was reported injured.

Vessel safety enforcement inspection personnel at the Cagban port reported the incident to the Coast Guard Boracay station, which sent its Deployable Response Group to the area to render assistance.

The Coast Guard Boracay station advised the operators of both vessels to file a marine protest in light of the incident./PN